Forum home› Pregnancy› Labour & birth
🚨 Advance warning 🚨 This forum will be closing on 1st May – please see our pinned thread for more information.
Options

running out of gas and air??

sweetypiesweetypie
in Labour & birth
Hi girls, my midwife mentioned that if I give birth at home they only bring 2 canisters of gas and air, after that it's tens and paracetamol!! I have to say this has put me off a bit. Has anyone run out of gas and air in their home birth and really struggled? She said that I might only need it towards the end by which point there won't be much time left. Paracetamol doesn't even always get rid of a headache!!! image

Replies

  • Options
    michelle07-79314michelle07-79314
    I have always been told if the second one starts to run out they can send for another one. With my first they had to (I used 3!!lol) but with each of the next 3 i only needed 1/2 of 1.
    xx
  • Options
    seraphina68seraphina68
    http://lt1f.lilypie.com/ADtlp1.png



    I forgot it was even an option with mine!! I went through about 14 hours of regular contractions and was at the point of thinking I just couldn't go through any more when the mw said 'you do realise we have gas and air here' LOL I didn't use one cannister and tbh used most when I was being stitched up!!


    Everyone is different of course but for me I needed it most for the pushing stage
  • Options
    7tob7tob
    Hi, we get 4 cannisters here!!

    I have never needed all of them i think i only really use about 1 and a half. My last baby, my 5th, i only had 2 paracetomol got in the bath and he came out in the bath, so no gas and air and no midwives!! lol
  • Options
    secret_mesecret_me
    The saga of my gas and air...My 1st midwife brought one. I managed to get one good puff on it and it either broke or ran out. I got in the birth pool then as I was 8cms anyway. Panted my way through the next few contractions and had another go when she thought it was fixed, it lasted a couple of contractions then went again. 2nd midwife arrived with another canister but it ran out after a few contractions. By then I was begining to think it wasn't worth using. When I knew it wasn't available I concentrated on breathing my way through it and managed ok, when it worked it did help but wasn't a miracle. When it didn't work but I thought it would those contractions were the worst, I wasn't prepared to deal with it myself and then the G&A wasn't there and my breathing was all stuffed up! tbh. everyone is different and I think you have to go with the flow, if you are really struggling remember it's always an option to transfer to hospital and the big drug option, only you will know if you are struggling enough to want to do that. I'd joked throughout my pregnancy that I'd rather have a big stick to bite on and a bottle of whisky, as it happened the stick might have helped!
  • Options
    CatWoodley83CatWoodley83
    Yes it happened to me 6 weeks ago! The first midwife brought 2 canisters and once they began to run out the second midwife had to collect 2 more. The third one ran out just as I began to feel the urge to push so they tried to connect the last one, only for it to be faulty! I did freak out a bit but once I got over the fact that it was gone, my body got on with the task in hand much better. I was able to really concentrate on my breathing which is the best pain relief in my opinion.

    Cat xxx
  • Options
    kelly Hinekelly Hine

    hi im doing a College study on this can I ask if  you mummys had a Independent midwife or you're NHS community midwife please. thank you  kelly x

    P.s if possible and you have time of course would you be able to send me a email on how far (weeks) you where when you asked about home births and go though everything for me as I need my own research by talking to mums who have had home births. Finding it hard to find any mums who have had a home birth. my email address is 273758@student.bedford.ac.uk

    Information I will need is ;

    who you spoke to?

    was it a independent midwife or community?

    any complications?

    which equipment did you use eg entonox (gas and air), birthing pool, TENS, or active birth ect.

    or did you have to go into hospital due to complications?

    as much information as possible would be great. If you can leave me you'r sir name and age at the time of birth would be great as il name you on my assignment as a ref. If you do not wish for this then I'l rename you as a annoummous and all email accounts will not be named as well.

    thank you so much for your time in reading this.

    Kelly Hine

    Midwifery student

     

Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions

Promoted Content